Viaduc des Arts/Promenade Plantee

Next to the Opera Bastille is the entrance to the Promenade Plantee.The Promenade Plantee is the Paris version of the proposed High Line project in New York city: It is a 2.8 mile unused elevated railroad track that was recently transformed to a planted garden walkway and park.

A visiting friend from San Francisco invited me to join him on a walk through the park on Monday afternoon. Sometimes it takes a visitor to make you move your butt to see things in your own city. It was a cool, rainy afternoon and the even gray light was perfect for photo taking. As we walked along the prettily planted park lined with common urban plantings of ferns, bamboo, and wild roses, what interested me more was the unique, elevated prospective of the city I was seeing. Being able to see up close the details of the turrets, domes, and statues adorning the Haussmann and deco buildings was thrilling, and my camera snapped away.Some of the other highlights of the garden are the long, rectangular blue green ponds surrounded by low sage colored bushes, and the tiered walls with cascading plants.

After our refreshing stroll, we headed downstairs to the Viaduc des Arts to warm ourselves with a coffee. The Viaduc des Arts is the structure below the Promenade Plantee, which is a series of large, dramatic, brick archways housing a series of design& craft shops and cafes. I was disappointed that most of the shops were closed because they looked like they had things that I have not seen anywhere else in Paris.

I now have a new shopping and park destination to further show off my insider’s knowledge of Paris.


Promenade Plantee- Entrance stairway on rue de Lyon- right behind Opera Bastille-Metro: Bastille

Viaduc des Arts- Ave Daumensil- Metro: Gare de Lyon or Ledru Rollin

 

Comments

[lapagefrancaise]

I love it up there, it's so pretty. From below you can't even see it, so you would never even know there was a garden walk up there. Definitely a great insider secret place in Paris to impress guests